One of the most common results of the degradation of vasculature is aneurysm. By definition, the term “aneurysm” is simply an abnormal widening or ballooning at the wall of a blood vessel. This condition can be devastating due to the potential for rupture or dissection that can lead to massive bleeding, stroke, or hemorrhagic shock, and can be fatal in an estimated 80% of cases. Aneurysms can be caused by any of a large class of degenerative diseases and pathologies including atherosclerotic disease, defects in arterial components, genetic susceptibilities, and high blood pressure, among others, and can develop silently over a period of years. The hallmarks of aneurysms include enzymatic degradation of vascular structural proteins such as elastin, inflammatory infiltrates, calcification, and eventual overall destruction of the vascular architecture. For example, FIG. 1 graphically illustrates the difference in elastin content between a healthy aorta and an aneurysmal aorta. As can be seen, elastin content of the damaged structure is 70% less than that of the healthy structure.
Current methods of treatment for diagnosed aneurysms are limited to invasive surgical techniques. After initial diagnosis of a small aneurysm, the most common medical approach is to follow up the development of the aneurysm and after reaching a pre-determined size (e.g., about 5 cm in diameter), surgical treatment is applied. Current surgical treatments are limited to either an endovascular stent graft repair or optionally complete replacement of the diseased vessel with a vascular graft. While such surgical treatments can save lives and improve quality of life for those suffering aneurysm, dangers beyond those of the surgery itself still exist for the patient due to possible post-surgery complications (e.g., neurological injuries, bleeding, or stroke) as well as device-related complications (e.g., thrombosis, leakage, or failure). Moreover, depending upon the location of the aneurysm, the danger of an invasive surgical procedure may outweigh the possible benefits of the procedure, for instance in the case of an aneurysm deep in the brain, leaving the sufferer with very little in the way of treatment options. Moreover, surgical treatments may not always provide a permanent solution, as vascular grafts can loosen and dislodge should the aneurysm progress following the corrective surgery.
Aneurysm is not the only condition for which enzymatic degradation of structural proteins is a hallmark. Other conditions in which structural protein degradation appears to play a key role include Marfan syndrome, supravalvular aortic stenosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For those afflicted, such conditions lead to, at the very least, a lowered quality of life and often, premature death.
Phenolic compounds are a diverse group of materials that have been recognized for use in a wide variety of applications. For instance, they naturally occur in many plants, and are often a component of the human diet. Phenolic compounds have been examined in depth for efficacy as free radical scavengers and neutralizers, for instance in topical skin applications and in food supplements. Phenolic compounds are also believed to prevent cross-linking of cell membranes found in certain inflammatory conditions and are believed to affect the expressions of specific genes due to their modulation of free radicals and other oxidative species (see, e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 6,437,004 to Perricone).
What is needed in the art are treatment protocols and compositions for stabilization of the organs and tissues affected by degenerative conditions such as aneurysm. In particular, treatment protocols utilizing phenolic compounds could provide a safe, less invasive route for the stabilization of the structural architecture in order to temper growth and/or development of such conditions.